Water-meter setting or connection.



- J. W. CALHOUN. WATER METER SETTING 0R CONNECTION; APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1914.

Patented June 8, 1915;

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was ans PA W OH w. CALHOUN, or HUNrINGToN, WEST VIRGINIA.

WATER-METER SETTING 0R CONNECTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. CALHOUN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Gabell and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water-Meter Settings or Connections of which the fol- My invention relates to a water meter setting or connection, the object of the invention being to provide a, construction of connection or setting whereby the 'meter may be easily and conveniently coupled to and uncoupled from the branches of the Water service pipe, and whereby a strong, durable and leak-proof connection may be secured.

A further object of the invention is to' provide a meter setting which enables the use of small meter boxes and the arrange ment of the meter at a point closer to the surface, as well as a construction which obviates the necessity of employing a wrench or like tool in applying andjremoving the The invention consists of the, features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich F lgure 1 1s a sect onal elevation showing one form of my lnventlon as employed in use. Fig. 2 is a detail section of one of the branch pipes and unions on an enlarged scale.

' inner faces, adjacent such ends with lateral ports 7. Suitably secured to the upper ends of the pipe branches are unions 8 having inwardly extending portions formed with sockets 9, to receive the spuds or ends 10 of the meter casing, through which the inlet and exit ports extend. The spuds 10 are Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the invention.v

4 Specification of Letters Patent. Pa,t'ented June 8, 1915. Application filed May 20, 1914. Serial No. 839,847.

adapted to fit snugly within said sockets,

and gaskets 11, of rubber or other suitable material, are provided to form a tight joint.

branches, said stay acting to reinforce the branches and prevent the same from having outward relative or spreading movement beyond .a predetermined extent. The upper ends of the pipe branches are adapted to be spread to the requisite extent to' admit and release the meter spuds l0, and permit of their application to and removal from the sockets of the unions, so that the meter maybe applied and removed in" a ready and convenient manner and without the necessity of employing, a wrench or threaded coupling connections. Extending between the pipe sections between the stay 12 and the unions are right and left hand threaded rod sectionsl l and 15 having eyes 16 pro vided with set screws 17 to engage the pipe sections, whereby they are secured against relative displacement. A right and left hand threaded sleeve 16 engages the threaded endsof the rod'sections and is provided with a hand wheel17, whereby said rod sections may be moved inwardly and outwardly mentary stay and the sleeve and its wheel a turn buckle of convenient construction whereby the rod sections may be ad usted to spread the pipe sections a proper dlstance to receive or release the meter, and drawn together so as to clamp the spuds of the meter snugly within the sockets of theunions and in sealing engagement with the gaskets 11. I The construction described allows themeter to be mounted at an elevation above the level ofthe service pipe so that it may be arranged within an ordinary sewer tile, forming the box 1, allowing the meter to be conveniently inspected and applied and re withsockets 19 to receive the meter spuds 10, which sockets communicate .with passages 20 in said unions threaded at their lower ends to. receive the upper ends of the pipe sections 2 and 3, gaskets 21 being employed in the sockets to eflect a tight sealing connection.

Fixed to one of the unions and slidably connected with the other union is a frame 22, one end of which has a threaded opening receiving an adjusting screw 23, swiveled in the adjacent union, as indicated at 24, andprovided with a hand wheel 25. The frame having branches extending upwardly into and screw normally connect and held the unions improper relatlve positions, and by adjusting the screw shaft it is evident that one of the unions may be moved with relation to the other to vary the space between .the unions, so that the meter may be apmy improved water meter setting connection will be readily understood, without a further extended description and it will be evident that the construction described secures'the desired purposes and advantages in a reliable and effective manner.

I claim 1. In combination, a meter box, a service pipe having branches extending upwardly into the meterbox, a meter, interfitting connections between the pipe'branches and meter forcoupling the meter to said branches, and means connecting said pipe branches for relatively adjusting said pipe branches inwardly and outwardly with relation to each other for coupling engagement with and disengagement from the meter.

2. In combination, a meter, box, a pipe having branches-extending upwardly into the meter box, a meter having inlet and exit portions, connections upon the pipe branches to engage said inlet and exit portions of the meter, means connecting said pipe branches for drawing the pipe branches together to bring said connections into coupling and sealing engagement and for spreading the branches to disengage said connections, and means for staying and limiting the spreading motion of the pipe branches. 1

3. In combination, a meter box, a pipe the meter box in substantially parallel retions, branches for coupling and sealmg engagement with said inlet and exit portions of the with sockets to receive said spuds, said sockets having gaskets therein to effect an automatlc sealing connection when the unions are drawn into engagement with the spuds,

and means connecting the respective pipe branches and unions, with each other, and whereby said pipe branches and unions may be relatively adj usted toward'and from each other.

In'testimony whereof I aflix'my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I JOHN W.- CALHOUN.

Witnesses:

F. CH'ILns, I FRANK ROLF. 

